Christmas in Minnesota

Brrrrrrr! Going from 80 degrees for weeks in Florida to the cold of Minnesota was a shock but we could easily put up with the cold weather being able to spend time with all of our kids and their spouses (they are our kids also) and of course little Cate.

We left our 5th wheel and the truck at a RV resort in Fort Myers, Ivy, our dog, at a dog daycare in Naples and flew to Minneapolis a few days before Christmas.We rented a car which was a new experience for us.Of course the company we had rented from had the longest line at the airport so we had a long wait to get our car.We had requested a compact car and when we got to the counter we were told they gave us a Ford Mustang, convertible no less, and because snow was predicted the young man behind the counter suggested we upgrade.We fell for it and did the upgrade for very little cost but kept talking about that Mustang all weekend especially since the snow never came.I guess we would have looked a little silly driving around in the freezing weather with the top down because what else would you do with a Mustang convertible you rented.

Our time with our family was absolutely the best. We stayed with our daughter Cassie and her husband Aaron and of course our granddaughter Cate along with our son Zach and his wife Lauren who made the long drive from Cincinnati, OH.Added to the household were the three dogs, Izzy, Hope, and Harvey.Christmas Eve day we picked up our son Eric and headed to our daughter Amanda and her husband Ron’s house for a day with the entire family.We started the day with an excellent brunch and then played the dice game for gifts which always provides us with a lot of laughter.After, some went to the basement to play on the WII while some stayed upstairs to help this mom learn how to use her new IPad that the kids gave me and help Joe with his new camera.I thought we had convinced the kids to stop buying gifts for Joe and I because we have everything we could possible want but I guess that didn’t work.When do kids start listening to their parents?The day ended with all of us playing a game called Things (which was a blast) and little more food, of course.

Time was to short in MN. We did get in one night of sitting with Cate while the kids all went to the Holly Dazzle parade and dinner.In grandpa and grandma’s view, we had the better evening.One gift we all walked away with was Cate’s cold.She started the cold a few days before we all got there and it just kept getting worse.I felt so bad for her but she is such an incredible little girl that she never got fussy.She was a real trooper.But all of us ended up with the same virus which was a very small price to pay to spend time with everyone.

It was hard to say good-bye on the 26th.Zach and Lauren took off for Ohio at the same time we left for the airport.They did not have a very nice trip home.Besides Lauren being really sick, they ran into a snowstorm in Chicago which made their trip that normally takes them around 12hrs took them over 15hrs.We hope by next year they will forget about this year’s terrible drive and be happy to make that long drive back to MN for the holidays to be with family.

So we came back to the warm weather of Florida but carry with us the wonderful memories of spending time with our family. Every year I say “This was the best Christmas with the kids!” and this year was no exception.Joe and I are so blessed with such a wonderful family.They are our life!

So we hope all of our family and friends had such a blessed Christmas as we did. We wish you all a Happy New Year and wish you good health and hope all your dreams come true as they have for us!